Need and Insanity
by Anna Maxwell
Summary: In the longest 24 hours Schwartz has faced, they loose one of their own and fight for the life of another. And as if Schuldig wasn't stressed enough, Yohji and Aya are at the hospital. And their fight has only begun.
1. Part One: The Apartment

Title: Need and Insanity  
  
  
  
Author: Anna Maxwell  
  
  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I own no one except the empathetic EMT and his partner. ^^  
  
  
  
Feedback: starchaser478@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
Warnings: Farf lovers may want to pass on this one.^^;;;  
  
  
  
Author's notes: I was going through a small crisis this weekend, and when Chase and I go through different things, we use writing as an outlet. Thus, this fic was born. It is a death fic, and it contains angst and smarm and fights and fluff and stuff. ^^ The crazy Farfness partially comes from the 14th or 15th episode, I think. You know, him leaping and doing the Xena cry? (It's on the 3rd DVD, I know that.) And also in part from the fic Gods by Angelina FILTH, which both Chase and I recommend! At any rate, enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Part One: The Apartment  
  
  
  
  
  
/I'm dreaming./ Brad told himself. /I've got to be dreaming./ He surveyed the mess before him. It was the living room in the Schwartz apartment, ripped to shreds. Blood was pooled on the floor and there were smears of it on the wall. Brad automatically reached for his gun and pulled it. "Schuldig! Doko wa?" he called. "Nagi? Farfarello?" A low, sadistic laugh answered him. He cocked his gun and aimed it into the shadows. "Who's there? Come out!" Brad demanded. Something leapt up at him, and he fired twice.  
  
He woke up, sweating heavily, holding his gun, and facing two bullet holes in his wall. Brad blinked. /My bad.../  
  
There was a mental growl from the room that connected to his and the door was thrown open. "Are you trying to kill me?!" the German telepath demanded as he pointed to the holes in the wall.  
  
Brad let the gun fall onto the bed and took a deep breath. "Not especially." He answered slowly.  
  
"Then why, might I ask, were you shooting at the wall that leads to my room?" Schuldig cocked an eyebrow. "Or better yet, what were you aiming at?"  
  
"Not what. Who. I was dreaming, and my body was reacting." Brad said, finally looking at him.  
  
"Dream or vision?"  
  
"Vision."  
  
"So what's happening?" Schuldig asked with a grin. "We going to have a new job? I've been bored...."  
  
"It's not job, but it's just as deadly, that much I feel."  
  
"What is it, if not a job?"  
  
"Where is Farfarello?" Brad asked suddenly.  
  
"In his cell," the German answered automatically. He blinked for a moment. "Nein.... In the living room. The psycho picked the lock again."  
  
"And Nagi?"  
  
"Asleep."  
  
Brad stood and pulled on a t-shirt. He moved past Schuldig almost blindly, headed for the living room.  
  
"What's going on?" the German asked, following.  
  
Everything in the living room was in perfect order. The couch was arranged, the items on the coffee table were straight, and there was no blood in sight. "I'm not sure." Brad answered. "I didn't see who it was, but when he leapt at me, I couldn't feel you."  
  
Schuldig's eyes flickered from one spot to another until they came to rest on the silver haired psychopath in the chair. "Aren't you suppose to be in your cell like a good madman?" he asked as he approached the teen.  
  
"Ye had better watch your tongue." Was all the reply he got. Farfarello's eye patch was missing, but both eyes were closed.  
  
Schuldig yawned. "I'm tired, Farf, but I'm not going to get any sleep with you roaming about. Ne... Where's your patch?" he asked, tapping Farfarello on the side of the head right next to his eye.  
  
"Schuldig, get away from him." Brad said suddenly, blue eyes flashing.  
  
"Nani?" the telepath questioned, turning to look at his elder friend.  
  
Brad jerked forward when he didn't move. "Move!" he barked.  
  
Farfarello's hand clasped around the German's wrist before he could pull away. "Let go, Farf. That's not funny..."  
  
Brad grabbed Schuldig by the shoulders. "Let him go, now." he growled at the Irishman.  
  
Farfarello lunged at them, sending the German stumbling back into Crawford. /Stop it, Farf,/ he commanded strongly into his mind.  
  
Brad caught the telepath as they both backed away. "I don't think it'll help." the American said quietly.  
  
The Irishman's golden eyes glowed eerily in the dark, though one was hollow in appearance.  
  
"I think now would be a good time to leave," Schuldig whispered.  
  
/Go get Nagi./ Brad instructed, shoving him out of range of the madman.  
  
/Nagi! Get your butt in here, chibi!/ Schuldig called mentally. "The wonders of being telepathic. You don't have to move an inch. I'm not leaving you in here alone."  
  
"You should have listened to him." Farfarello said darkly, standing.  
  
A smirk crossed the German's face. "I'm faster and you know it, Farf. So this isn't going to be too difficult."  
  
"Faster than what, might I ask? And don't for get, /Schu/, I don't feel anything."  
  
Schuldig moved with a lightning speed around to Farfarello's back, grabbing onto his wrists and pulling his arms behind him. "Tables have turned, ne?"  
  
"Schuldig!" Brad snapped. Farfarello grinned and yanked his arms upward, through the German over his head and into the coffee table. "Yes. I'm afraid they have."  
  
Schuldig felt the glass bite into his skin through his sleeping tank top and he wince. He pulled himself up out of the table..... just to come face to face with the Irishman again.  
  
Brad sideswiped him, sending Farfarello and himself tumbling to the floor. Farfarello pulled a knife out of his vest and swung it at the Oracle.  
  
"BRAD!" Schuldig called out, darting forward.  
  
Brad didn't realize he had the dagger in him until he saw that Farfarello was laughing at him, and a numb feeling spread through his chest.  
  
Schuldig pulled the cackling maniac off of his friend and shoved him away. /NAGI!/ he called again. He knelt down. "Brad? Daijoubu?"  
  
Blood was staining the white t-shirt quickly. "I'll be all right. We have to get away from him." Brad rasped.  
  
Schuldig sensed the madman's presence as he came up behind him and his eyes widened.  
  
"Schuldig, move!" Brad cried.  
  
Farfarello grabbed Schuldig by his tank top and tossed him roughly across the room. His movements reminded the German of a predator stalking his prey. Schuldig groaned as he looked up, golden eyes focusing on the tall Irishman who was standing over him, licking one of his knives.  
  
"Nagi, wake up!" Brad bellowed, dragging himself to his feet. "Farfarello, stop! What's the matter with you?" he demanded.  
  
The Irishman didn't turn as he lunged at the half conscious German who was slumped against the wall.  
  
Brad made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and tackled the madman to the floor again. They fought for control of the knife, one of them each had a hand on it.  
  
Schuldig came to see this. /NAGI!!/ he mentally screamed at the still sleeping teen.  
  
There was a startled cry as Nagi woke up to find his pet bird dead on the pillow next to him. /Schuldig?/ he questioned, sounding scared.  
  
/Get yourself in here! Now!/ Schuldig struggled to his feet. He couldn't let Brad fight this battle on his own.....  
  
Farfarello had Brad pinned under him, but the American refused to let go of the knife, no matter what. The two men glared at each other.  
  
Schuldig placed a hand on the Irishman's shoulder and pulled back. "Get off of him, Farf!" he growled.  
  
He could see it happening, see the knife being ripped out of his hand, swinging back, catching Schuldig's neck.. /Schuldig move!/ Brad begged with a mental cry, tightening his hold on the knife.  
  
Schuldig dodged and came around to where Farfarello was now standing. /Nagi! We haven't got all ni-/ His mental call to the younger Schwarz member was cut off as he felt the knife make contact.  
  
/Schuldig!/ the teenager mentally shouted. He paused and heard the German physically cry out in pain, and Crawford screaming the telepath's name.  
  
Nagi tore his gaze away from his bird and ran out into the living room. He gasped. "Farf?"  
  
Farfarello turned his golden eyes toward the youth.  
  
Schuldig groaned as he hit the wooden floor. Pain raced through his body and he cringed. /Hold him, chibi,/ he whispered.  
  
Nagi stared at the Irishman, betrayal glowing in his eyes. He slowly extended his hand and unleashed his gift.  
  
Brad fell beside Schuldig. /Schu?/  
  
The German groaned, pressing his hand against the wound right below his ribcage. "I'm okay," he whispered in German.  
  
/Just a flesh wound?/ Brad questioned with a painful smile.  
  
/I think so. You okay?/  
  
Brad nodded slowly. /Good thing I settle for t-shirts from Wal-Mart, huh?/  
  
Schuldig winced as he laughed, and then pushed himself up into the sitting position. "What made him freak out?"  
  
"I don't know." Brad murmured, looking at Nagi. The younger boy was in shock, staring at Farfarello.  
  
Farfarello was perfectly still, but his eyes were searching widely.  
  
"So do we just through him in the cell and put a double lock on it?" Schuldig asked.  
  
Farfarello's eyes narrowed again, and he stared back at Nagi.  
  
Brad put a hand over the wound in his chest. "I don't know."  
  
"Is this what you saw?" Schuldig whispered.  
  
"No." Brad whispered back.  
  
The German blinked. "So that's still to come?"  
  
"Brad..." Nagi said quietly.  
  
The precog looked over. "What is it?"  
  
"I can't..."  
  
About that time, Farfarello broke free of the telekinetic teen's hold.  
  
Nagi fell back against the door, unable to react as the Irishman rushed him.  
  
"Nagi!" Schuldig screamed, racing toward him.  
  
"Why oh why did he have to be crazy..." Brad muttered. "Get Nagi out of here!" He shouted. He had to get his gun. They couldn't fight him.  
  
Schuldig grabbed Nagi and dragged him out. He stopped at the boy's room. "Lock the door and if you hear him trying to get in, get out the window. And don't come out unless one of us tells you to." That said, Schuldig turned to go.  
  
Nagi grabbed his arm. "What happened?" he whispered. "Why's he doing this?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know..." the telepath admitted.  
  
"He killed my bird..." Nagi said softly.  
  
Schuldig looked puzzled. "I don't even want to try getting into his head to find his motive, if there is one. I think I might get lost..."  
  
"Be careful, both of you."  
  
"Ja," the German said with a wink, and was gone.  
  
Nagi slowly locked his bedroom door and knelt by the window.  
  
Brad had dashed to his bedroom, and he could feel the Irishman coming behind him. He got there, but the gun wasn't on the bed where he'd dropped it earlier. But where?  
  
/BRAD! BEHIND YOU!/  
  
The American jerked and turned around. There was a small explosion and he could feel himself falling. He caught the edge of the bed, trying to keep himself up on his knees. "Didn't see that coming, I'll give you that," he gasped, looking up at Farfarello who was holding the smoking gun.  
  
"Leave him!" Schuldig growled as he came into the room.  
  
"Too late." Brad whispered, meeting the green eyes. Fresh blood was soaking the white t-shirt as Brad tried to hold on to the end of the bed.  
  
Schuldig's eyes widened. "Brad...." he whispered. "Nein.. Get away from him, Farfarello!"  
  
"As you wish. I am finished with him." Farfarello said, dismissing Brad in his mind.  
  
"I'll personally rip you limb from limb," the telepath growled.  
  
Farfarello stared at him. "I won't feel it. Your vengeance will do you no good."  
  
"It'll do my mind some good."  
  
Farfarello threw the gun to the side and curved a finger. "Come on then, fight."  
  
Schuldig used his speed to get to the Irishman and around him before he could move. He grabbed one of his arms and twisted it behind his back, and then reached for the next. /If I can just trap him, we can deal with him,/ he thought.  
  
/I have an,/ Brad inhaled painfully, /order for you./  
  
/I'm kind of busy at the moment..../  
  
/Kill him./  
  
/No arguments here!/ Schuldig agreed. "Not after what you did, no arguments at all," the German muttered.  
  
/Schwartz is finished. Just do it./ Brad said, his voice becoming quieter in Schuldig's mind.  
  
Schuldig stepped back, reached out his hand and focused on the madman's mind. /You'll feel this./  
  
Farfarello's eyes glittered as he prepared to attack.  
  
The German man let loose his own attack on the Irishman's mind.  
  
And he did feel it. The madman staggered back under the power of Schuldig's attack. He had no shields, nothing to protect his mind.  
  
/It's your own fault for betraying us,/ Schuldig growled in his mind.  
  
/There was nothing left to do./ Farfarello shot at him.  
  
/You get bored or something? That's not our fault./  
  
/I killed my family once. I thought it would be ironic to do it again. Poor Nagi, though./ His face held no remorse.  
  
/Just shut up and die!/ Schuldig screamed. This attack was mentally and physically exhausting. He needed it to be done.  
  
Brad watched with glassy eyes. His fingers were cold, he realized, and he could no longer feel the fabric of his blanket under his fingertips. He was fading, he knew. In one last attempt to attack, Farfarello leapt at him, but fell under the pressure in his mind. He didn't move again. Brad could feel his grip loosen on the bed and he fell forward.  
  
Schuldig caught him before he hit the floor and eased him down. "Brad?" he whispered.  
  
Blood soaked from Brad's shirt to Schuldig's' as the American lay limp in his arms.  
  
"Please don't die..." the German whispered in broken English. "Don't die... Please...."  
  
Nagi appeared in the doorway, blue eyes wide. "I called an ambulance." he whispered.  
  
Schuldig didn't look up as he clung to his friend, tears streaming down his pale face.  
  
/Don't....cry....Schu./ Brad breathed into his mind.  
  
/Then don't die, ne?/  
  
/You've got to...take care of him.../  
  
/I can't. I can't even take care of myself, much less the kid..... We need you here, Brad.../  
  
/Promise me,/  
  
/Only if you promise that you'll be okay./  
  
Brad cringed against him. /I can't, you just have to.../ he shivered.  
  
Schuldig choked back a sob. "I can't live without you, Brad...." he whispered.  
  
Brad could feel the cold tears on his own face as he struggled against his body's wish to quit, and his need for Schuldig. /I don't have anything to give you,/ he whispered brokenly.  
  
/I told you I'd follow you to the ends of the earth. I'm still going to follow you..../  
  
/Just wait for me.../ Brad faded.  
  
Nagi jumped as the door was broken in. He heard different exclamations from the EMTs as they viewed the damage done. "We're here!" Nagi shouted.  
  
Schuldig felt the tears streaming down his face, and he didn't look back as the EMTs came in. Nagi place a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Let him go. They have to help." the boy said softly.  
  
Schuldig felt Nagi pull him away, and he did not resist. He simply sat and stared into nothingness.  
  
"Jeeze, look at the blood in this place." One of the men muttered as they eased Crawford onto a stretcher.  
  
His partner shook his head when he found no pulse on Farfarello and turned his attention to Schuldig. "Come on. Can you stand? You need attention as well."  
  
"I'm fine," Schuldig managed.  
  
The partners exchanged glances as they recognized shock. "Why don't you come in the ambulance with us. This guy's your partner, ne?"  
  
"Schuldig, onegai?" Nagi whispered.  
  
The German blinked at the boy for half a moment, but then nodded.  
  
He stood shakily and the two of them followed the EMTs to the ambulance outside. "The kid can ride in the front. You should stick with him." The elder man said to Schuldig.  
  
Schuldig nodded again and sat down. /Brad?/  
  
The Oracle's mind was silent as the EMT attached him to the equipment. The heart monitor came to life, beeping steadily. The man nodded in an approval and began looking at the bullet wound.  
  
"Is he going to be okay?" Schuldig asked quietly.  
  
"I have brain activity, and his pulse is steady. As long as we get him stitched up and on a blood supply, I think he'll be fine." The man answered.  
  
Schuldig nodded, returning his eyes to Brad's still form.  
  
"You two have some sort of connection, don't you?" he asked, not looking at the German.  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"I thought as much."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"I can feel it. I could feel it as we parked."  
  
/Empath?/  
  
/Yes./  
  
Schuldig glanced at him, half surprised to get an answer. /Do you work for Estet?/  
  
/No. I wasn't interested./ He said, not alarmed to be holding a mental conversation with him.  
  
/Not many people who are in Estet are interested./  
  
The man laughed quietly. /I like my job. I didn't want the threat of any screw-up and instant death./  
  
/You're a lucky man./  
  
/You could say that./  
  
Schuldig leaned back, a little more at ease than he had been when he got into the ambulance, and when his mind wasn't focused completely on making sure Brad would be all right, it started to register the pain.  
  
After stabilizing the American, the man pulled out his abrasions kit and moved closer to the German.  
  
Schuldig's golden eyes opened as he sensed the man moving closer.  
  
"That's a nasty stab wound. I need to look at it." He said calmly.  
  
"I'm all right."  
  
"Please. It's my job, okay? If that gets infected you won't be any good to your partner."  
  
Schuldig nodded after a moment. "Was Farfarello dead?" he whispered.  
  
"Yes. Should I express condolences or no?"  
  
"He was a former team member, but he's the reason that we're in the shape we are in."  
  
"I see. I'm sorry."  
  
Schuldig snorted. "He couldn't feel pain, but he felt it before he died," he said distantly.  
  
"I have no doubt." The man said understandingly. "You'll need to change the bandage on that larger wound once a day. I'll get you some antibiotics for it later. I get the feeling you won't see a doctor, so I'll spare you the trouble."  
  
Schuldig smirked. "I never had much use for them."  
  
"The boy looked unharmed."  
  
"I don't think he got hurt. He slept through most of it."  
  
The ambulance pulled to a stop. The man's partner came around and helped lower the stretcher. "They're ready for him." he said.  
  
Nagi appeared at the door and Schuldig jumped down to the ground. /They said he'd be just fine./  
  
They watched as Crawford was wheeled away and whisked into an emergency room for surgery. 


	2. Part Two: The Hospital

Part Two: The Hospital  
  
Author's Notes: The vicious cycle continues. ^^;; I'm afraid it goes around the bush quite a bit in this part, but oh well. One thing that might help you understand the chaos is the fact that we chit chat on the phone sometimes when we write, and I agreed to something with half a brain, resulting in Aya-chan's untimely demise. (Again.) Not the best piece we've ever written, but it was for fun. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
"Schuldig?"  
  
The German cracked one eye open from the place where he had fallen asleep in the waiting room. Nagi stood over him. "The doctor came out."  
  
The blue eyes of the boy were sad and tired. "It's...I..."  
  
"What?" Schuldig demanded, fully awake now.  
  
"He's in a coma." Nagi whispered.  
  
Schuldig's eyes widened. "A coma?" he whispered. "That's not possible....."  
  
"There was a complication in the surgery. He slipped into a coma. That's what the doctor said."  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up when the doctor came in?" Schuldig demanded, a little harsher than he meant to, and only asked because his mind was searching for something, anything, that he could say.  
  
"I...I don't know. G-gome ne, Schuldig." Nagi murmured dejectedly.  
  
Schuldig took a deep breath and ruffled the small teen's hair. "It's not your fault, I guess," he murmured. "You should get some sleep, though."  
  
"I don't want to go back to the apartment..."  
  
Schuldig winced slightly as he stood. "Sleep here then, but just get some sleep."  
  
Nagi nodded slowly and flopped down on the couch as he watched Schuldig go look for the doctor.  
  
The German found him fairly quickly with the use of his Gift. "What's the matter with Brad Crawford?" he demanded.  
  
"I assume your Schuldig?" The doctor asked in reply.  
  
"Yeah. What's going on?"  
  
"I'm afraid there was a complication when we attempted to remove the bullet. We didn't realize how close it was to his heart. It was touch and go for a moment, but he's been stabilized. However, due to the shock and blood loss, I'm afraid he's slipped into a coma."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I can't say. It's not unusual for the body to react this way. It could be hours, or days."  
  
"He will wake up, right?"  
  
"There aren't any indications that he won't. It's up to him now."  
  
"Can I see him?"  
  
"Yes of course." The doctor led him to the room Brad had been put in. Schuldig stood in the doorway, staring at him. The American's skin was horribly pale, his dark hair contrasting with its color and the color of the white sheets.  
  
/Brad? Can you hear me?/  
  
The only sound that greeted him was the beeping of the heart monitor and the clicking of the door shutting as the doctor left.  
  
Schuldig knelt by the bed, clasping onto of his friend's pale hands. /Please, Brad, don't leave me alone.../  
  
The fingers felt cold and small in his hand. There was nothing he could do but wait.  
  
Schuldig's golden orbs flickered open some time later and he found himself sitting on the floor next to Brad's hospital bed, head against the bed itself.  
  
It had gotten dark out, and he froze, sensing somebody else in the room.  
  
/Who's there?/  
  
"You should know." replied the voice.  
  
/Hello Kitten./  
  
"Schuldig."  
  
"Would there be a reason that you're here?"  
  
"I heard one of the doctors mention his name. I read his chart. Coma." Aya said flatly.  
  
"You can read! I am impressed," Schuldig exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his voice.  
  
"Looks like you got your just deserts, Schuldig."  
  
"You better learn to keep your mouth shut or you'll end up a dead little kitten."  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
"But unlike your dear little sister, Crawford won't die."  
  
"I don't know what you mean."  
  
"You're dear little sister is dead. They're trying to reach you as we speak. You should have been there for her, kitten."  
  
Violet eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't talk to me about things you don't know about."  
  
"I know everything about it."  
  
The door was pushed open, showing the silhouette of Kudoh Yohji. "Aya..."  
  
Schuldig smirked knowingly.  
  
Yohji glared at him. "Aya, you need to come..."  
  
/Told you./  
  
"What, Yohji?" Aya asked lowly.  
  
"Something's happened with Aya-chan......"  
  
Aya shot Schuldig a death glare and followed Yohji out.  
  
/Told you./  
  
The German smirked as he heard strangled cries from down the hall.  
  
Schuldig stood and leaned against the wall, waiting. Aya came flying back into the room.  
  
He tackled the German with no words to spare. Yohji dashed in a moment later. "Aya!"  
  
Schuldig scrambled up, not quite sure why HE was being tackled. "GET OFF!!"  
  
"Aya, leave him alone!" Yohji pleaded, trying to get his leader off the telepath. Aya landed a solid punch to the redhead's jaw.  
  
Schuldig felt his head collide with the wall, but the wall didn't give in. "Itaii..... Would there be a reason you're giving me a beating?"  
  
"She's dead, you bastard! It's all your fault!" Aya snarled.  
  
"WHY'S IT MY FAULT?!?!?!?!"  
  
"It was your fault she was ever in a coma! If you had left my family alone she wouldn't be dead!"  
  
"I was just doing my job!"  
  
"I'm going to kill you!"  
  
/Or try,/ the telepath taunted as he leapt away, using his speed.  
  
"Aya come on, this isn't the place for this," Yohji said reaching for him.  
  
/Yeah, be a good kitten and go on back to your friends./  
  
Aya drew his katana and Yohji smacked a hand to his forehead. "Aya, onegai, come home with me." he begged, trying to get him out of there. He wasn't thinking, and was going to get killed this way.  
  
"I really don't feel like fighting you, so I will just send you to be with your dear sister if you don't leave."  
  
Yohji got the notion that Schuldig was serious. "Aya," he whispered. "Come on." The swordsman hesitated.  
  
"Run back home with your friend, kitten, or I will make good on the threat."  
  
Aya got a gleam in his eye. "Fine." he said darkly. He turned, but as he sheathed his katana, he brought it through the wires connecting Brad to the machinery. "Ikou yo, Yotan." He said quietly.  
  
Schuldig released an attack on Aya's mind that could rival the one he had released on Farfarello. That done, he started down the hall for a nurse.  
  
"Aya!" Yohji cried, catching the younger man as he fell back. "Aya? Daijoubu?"  
  
/He won't wake for a while, if at all,/ Schuldig sent into the blond assassin's mind.  
  
Yohji paled in the darkness. "Aya? Look at me, onegai," he whispered frantically. "Someone help us!" he shouted.  
  
Schuldig left with a mental laugh echoing. /They won't here you and they won't even see you. The wonders of a little mental persuasion./  
  
Yohji was furious. He gently laid Aya down and moved to Crawford's bedside. He shot out his wire and began strangling the American. "You hear me, Schuldig! If you don't let someone help him I swear I'll kill him!" Yohji growled.  
  
"Let him go! Now! Abyssinian won't die from it!"  
  
"Take your little mental games off the doctors." Yohji demanded.  
  
/Why don't you let him go?/ he whispered into his mind.  
  
"Not until you wake him up." Yohji snarled.  
  
"I don't have control over that."  
  
Yohji gave one last tug of the wire before letting it go. "I swear, if he dies, I'm coming after your American." he said, eyes flashing.  
  
Schuldig was by Crawford's bedside in a flash, checking for a pulse and making sure he was alive.  
  
Yohji pulled Aya against him, glaring at the telepath, and hatred in his eyes. "He wasn't on life support, you didn't have to hurt him. He was grieving. You should understand that." Yohji murmured.  
  
"Stay away from Brad Crawford. I don't care how much that idiot was grieving."  
  
"Stay away from Aya. I don't care how much your American is injured." Yohji replied, gently picking his teammate up.  
  
"Then tell Aya to stay away from Crawford."  
  
Yohji walked out without looking back, and a second later doctors swarmed in with replacement equipment.  
  
Schuldig slumped into the chair a couple feet away, exhausted.  
  
"What happened?" One of the doctors demanded as the re-hooked Brad.  
  
"Somebody that doesn't like us too much," Schuldig said simply.  
  
One of the doctors touched Brad's neck, seeing the mark from the wire. "How long was oxygen cut off from him?" he asked quickly.  
  
"I don't know. Not long."  
  
Everything was rearranged and the doctors left. The heart monitor beeped a slow beat.  
  
Nagi appeared at the doorway. "Weiß?"  
  
"Two. Abyssinian and Balinese."  
  
"Abyssinian's in emergency. That's why I asked. You all right?" the boy asked.  
  
"Yeah. Pissed off, but yeah." A slow smirk crossed Schuldig's face and he closed his eyes. "Let's put him out for a couple more hours...."  
  
"Balinese looked worried." Nagi said, sitting in the other chair.  
  
"He's angry as hell now."  
  
"Schuldig..." Nagi said, shaking his head.  
  
"They deserve it...."  
  
"Not really. His sister died. They're like the two of you. One can't survive without the other." He said quietly.  
  
"And I should care why?"  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
Schuldig smirked. "Lock the door. Balinese is coming up," he said, getting up and walking out.  
  
"Don't..." Nagi started. But the telepath was all ready out the door.  
  
Schuldig leaned against the wall and waited, debating on how long it would take them to figure out he was smoking if he lit up, and if it was worth the effort.  
  
Yohji appeared out of the elevator, madder than a bat out of hell. "Yaro!" he growled. "Why didn't you leave him alone?!"  
  
"Because I didn't feel like it," Schuldig answered, lighting his cigarette.  
  
Dark brown hair fell in Yohji's eyes as he shook his head. "You're unbelievable. Didn't I tell you I'd come after him if you hurt him again?"  
  
"The door's locked with a telekinetic kid in there. Good luck."  
  
Nagi flung open the door, eyes terrified. "He's flat lining! Schuldig, help him!" he cried.  
  
Schuldig's eyes went wide. "Go get a doctor! Now!"  
  
"I don't think I did that..." Yohji murmured. Nagi dashed down the hall, and Schuldig back into the room.  
  
/Brad?/ he called out mentally. /Brad! Answer me!/  
  
There was no reply from the pale man.  
  
/Onegai, Brad...../ "Brad...."  
  
The screaming of the monitor continued.  
  
Nagi raced back into the room, followed by a doctor.  
  
Two nurses followed. "Get me the defibrillator!" The doctor demanded.  
  
"What's going on?!" the telepath demanded.  
  
"He's dying!" The doctor exclaimed. "I don't understand why..." he added, half to himself.  
  
"Could it be because he was off of the machines?" Nagi asked quietly.  
  
"Possibly." The doctor answered as they charged the machine.  
  
Schuldig's eyes flashed as he turned back to Yohji. "You...."  
  
"You just keep doing things to even the score, don't you?" Yohji returned.  
  
"Don't expect to see Abyssinian alive again."  
  
"Don't you dare, Schuldig." Yohji warned.  
  
"Too late."  
  
Yohji fled down the hall. He didn't bother to take the elevator as he flung himself down the stairs to the emergency section. He could hear the code and the sirens going off. He made it to the cubical as the doctors fought to bring the swordsman back. "Aya!" Yohji screamed. "Ayan!"  
  
Schuldig's attack stopped as his knees gave way under him and he toppled to the floor without warning.  
  
Aya's body jerked and the heart monitor jumped. Yohji let out a sob and sank to his knees.  
  
Nagi shook Schuldig's shoulder. "Schu?"  
  
The German came around slowly.  
  
"Daijoubu ka?" Nagi asked worriedly.  
  
"Ja..."  
  
"Maybe you should leave the kittens alone." Nagi suggested.  
  
"They deserve it," Schuldig whispered, a tear finding its way down his cheek. "Is he....?"  
  
"We've got him back." The doctor announced with a sigh of relief.  
  
Schuldig sighed in relief. "Aw crap....... Here comes the kitten. He's getting his exercise for the day going up and down."  
  
Yohji stepped into the room, eyes cold. "You're a lucky sucker." He said harshly.  
  
Schuldig looked up from his place on the floor. "Why's that?"  
  
"Because if had died, I would have taken you out at any cost." Yohji whispered.  
  
Schuldig smirked. "Poor little kitten afraid of being alone?"  
  
"Yeah." Yohji said with a neutral smirk. "Yeah, that's it."  
  
Schuldig forced himself to his knees and then to his feet. "You'll be alone someday."  
  
"So will you."  
  
Schuldig smiled darkly. "No I won't. Cause when he goes, I won't be far behind."  
  
"You think I'd be any different?"  
  
"We can always find out."  
  
"Just leave him. Torment somebody else, Schuldig. I need him."  
  
"I don't have the strength to kill him now, don't worry."  
  
"You need him, don't you?" Yohji asked, referring to Crawford.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then live happily with him, and leave us alone."  
  
Schuldig watched as the Weiß member turned and left. He cursed him mentally.  
  
The doctors had left by then and the room was quiet. Schuldig turned and his eyes widened when they met a pair of dark blue eyes.  
  
Brad slowly shook his head once, pale smile upon his lips.  
  
/Brad... Daijoubu?/ the German whispered.  
  
/I've been better, thank you./  
  
Schuldig dropped to his knees by his friend's bed. "You're alive...."  
  
Brad turned one of his hands palm-up and Schuldig grasped it. /Hai. I told you to wait for me, ne?/  
  
/You idiot, you scared me,/ he muttered, a small smile playing on his lips.  
  
Brad smiled gently. /Sorry. Didn't mean it./  
  
/Ne... The chibi's sound asleep./  
  
/Are you all right?/  
  
/I'll live. You?/  
  
/Looks like it./  
  
Schuldig smiled and yawned. /I got up far to early,/ he mumbled as he sat himself down and laid his head against the mattress. /Night, Braddy./  
  
/You can get on the bed, if you want. That can't be comfortable./  
  
Schuldig nodded and curled up next to his friend. "G'night."  
  
"Night." Brad murmured.  
  
And downstairs, Aya eased into sleep, Yohji next to him.  
  
  
  
Owari.  
  
  
  
Final Author's notes: Just in case we confused any of you with Aya telling Schu that he got his just deserts, we believed that Schuldig triggered the bomb in the manga until getting translations recently, when we found out it was actually Nagi-chibi! Imagine our surprise. ^^; We hope you enjoyed this short chaotic mess. Ja ne! 


End file.
